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• Position: The Quetico Centre - Brief Article

Quetico remains relevant by understanding agents of change

More than 40 years after it first opened its doors, Quetico Centre still finds new ways to promote the development of human endeavors and relationships through learning processes.

It started almost 20 years before Lakehead University and Confederation College existed in Northwestern Ontario. Founded in 1958 by the late Cliff McIntosh and "a small group of people who cared," Quetico Centre set out on a mission to help individuals expand their competencies and leadership skills, and to help organizations, groups and associations increase their contribution to society.

Today, Linda Wiens, Quetico Centre's president, says the enterprise is focused on those same principles.

"Since we are small and not in the public domain, we try to do things that are not yet being done by others, but are needed in the region," Wiens says.

"That's generally been true of us. When we first started, we were very strong in recreational leadership and crafts development. Those have since moved to the colleges and community organizations. At one time, we offered retraining for adults. That, too, is now being done elsewhere.

"Over time we've done a lot of work in organization effectiveness and development. That continues. We also still do leadership learning and coaching, team building, strategic planning, and other human resource development."

Quetico Centre is a non-profit, charitable organization that, all along, has functioned without the help of operating grants. The facility has eight core staff and also networks with contract associates as needed for various projects. The Centre's Board of Directors is comprised of nine volunteers elected by a regional membership.

Located 30 kilometres east of Atikokan and overlooking Eva Lake, Quetico Centre's world class facility can accommodate up to 100 people year-round. Some groups conduct their own programs, while others use the centre's staff for facilitation or instruction. Quetico offers a wide range of expertise to help people address current and emerging issues through planning and learning applications.

The biggest challenge Quetico Centre faces is its mandate: helping people create better futures.

"We work at understanding the future as much as is possible," Wiens says.

"We review trend information and attend futures conferences. We look at the change forces going on all the time and what's happening within them. As a board and staff, we do our own...